Nations should take a firm stand against terrorism: Patil

NEW DELHI: Observing that disruptive activities of terrorists posed a serious threat to world peace, President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday said it is imperative for nations to take a "firm and unequivocal" stand against the scourge.

"Terrorism has no justification whatsoever and no cause can be served by shedding the blood of innocent people. It is imperative that we all take a firm and unequivocal stand against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," she said inaugurating the 53rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference here.

She said the disruptive activities of terrorists using modern technologies to set up extensive networks and killing innocent people posed a serious threat.

"India will continue to work to further strengthen international cooperation against terrorism," she told a galaxy of audience which included Parliamentarians from Commonwealth countries, Union Ministers Shivraj Patil and Anbumani Ramadoss and NRI industrialist Swraj Paul.
 
Noting that the contemporary world which was full of strife and conflict needed a "healing touch", the President said a firm political will was required to meet the 2015 target date to achieve the Millennium Development Goals that seek to eradicate poverty and hunger, promote education, and empower women and combat HIV/AIDS.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is recovering after a prostate surgery, said in his message that member countries should share experience and knowledge to banish mass poverty.

"There are other issues of global concern such as terrorism, the threat of climate change and the preservation of our environment that need our urgent attention", he said in the message, read out by Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi.

Citing UN estimates that one-fifth of the world's population lived in hunger and extreme poverty, the President said financial resources and technologies needed to be made available to developing countries for meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

The concerns of the developing countries should be taken on board at the Doha Round of trade talks and the developing countries should have a greater role in the international financial institutions and in the decision-making processes to address the issues of development at the global level, Patil said adding that "global partnership now needs to deliver".
     
Though itself a developing country, India has sought to extend support to other developing countries, particularly through its technical and economic cooperation programmes, she said.

"We seek to build friendship among nations and will continue to work with regional bodies and the international community for peace, progress and prosperity in the world," the President said.

Advocating that women be fully involved and brought to the forefront of sustainable developmental efforts, the President regretted that women continued to face the challenges of breaking through the "glass ceiling".

But women have made some inroads and have proved to be highly successful professionals in various fields, she said adding there could be no doubt that a woman's perspective was indispensable for a broad-based and a balanced development process.

Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari said that time has come for Parliamentarians, especially in the developing world, to take greater interest in global problems such as climate change and global warming.
 
He said the greatest challenge before them was how to make the Parliamentary institutions relevant in the era of globalisation. The new global world order has to be built on the tenets of equity, harmony, tolerance, diversity and pluralism, he said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said lack of comprehensive development was a major issue, posing a grave threat to many democratic countries including many in the Commonwealth.